TV stations in Albuquerque began delivering programming using the new NextGen TV broadcast format.
KASY-TV, which is owned by Mission Broadcasting, converted its signal to ATSC 3.0, using the additional capacity to carry its own programming as well as the programming shown by three other stations in the market -- KOAT-TV, KRQE-TV and KWBQ-TV.
Those three stations will continue to broadcast using the old ATSC 1.0 digital signal until a critical mass of sets with NextGen TV receivers are bought by consumers in the markets.
The switchover plan came after a decade of development and months of planning by the stations, whose efforts were coordinated by BitPath, a company that develops new data broadcasting services enabled by ATSC 3.0 transmissions.
The NextGen signal promises a better picture, improved sound and access to internet-based programming.
The additional digital services made possible using the ATSC 3.0 signals are expected to generate as much as an incremental $15 billion in revenue for the country’s broadcasters.
At this point more than 50 cities across the U.S. have begun the switchover to NextGen TV. ■
